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men's lifestyle blog, blog for guysTue, 31 Mar 2015 12:44:56 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Blu Tuesday: Edge of Tomorrow, A Million Ways to Die in the West and Morehttp://blog.bullz-eye.com/2014/10/07/blu-tuesday-edge-of-tomorrow-a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-and-more/
http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2014/10/07/blu-tuesday-edge-of-tomorrow-a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-and-more/#commentsTue, 07 Oct 2014 11:52:06 +0000http://blog.bullz-eye.com/?p=39413Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on Facebook and Twitter with your friends.

“Edge of Tomorrow”

WHAT: When he’s ordered onto the front lines as part of a synchronized attack against alien invaders, Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is killed in action… only to discover that he’s been infected with the aliens’ ability to control time. Stuck in an infinite loop where he must repeat the same day over and over again (with his death serving as the reset button), Cage teams up with a celebrated war hero (Emily Blunt) to track down the alien hive and end the war.

WHY: Though it shares a similar plot device as “Groundhog Day” and “Source Code,” Doug Liman’s “Edge of Tomorrow” is a truly original piece of science fiction that Hollywood should make more often. Clever, fun and surprisingly bold, it also happens to be ultimate Tom Cruise movie. Those who like the actor will enjoy watching him thrive in one of his best roles in years, while those who hate Cruise get to watch him die about 50 times over the course of the film. Emily Blunt is also in top form as the face of the war effort – a total badass who wields a helicopter blade as a sword and is nicknamed Full Metal Bitch – and Bill Paxton delivers a hilarious supporting turn as a scene-chewing Master Sergeant in charge of Cage’s military unit. In fact, the movie as a whole is much funnier than you might expect, using comedy to break up the monotonous nature of the story, and it works remarkably well thanks to a combination of smart writing, great actors and pitch-perfect editing by James Herbert. “Edge of Tomorrow” isn’t without its faults – the script has some logistical problems and the final act is pretty generic – but those are minor annoyances for a film that proves to be such a satisfying breath of fresh air.

EXTRAS: The Blu-ray release includes a making-of documentary, dedicated featurettes on the exo-suits, alien creatures and filming the Operation Downfall sequence, as well as some deleted scenes.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“A Million Ways to Die in the West”

WHAT: When cowardly sheep farmer Albert (Seth MacFarlane) challenges his ex-girlfriend’s new beau (Neil Patrick Harris) to a duel in the hopes of winning her back, a beautiful stranger (Charlize Theron) agrees to help him become a better gunfighter, falling for the lovable loser in the process. But what Albert doesn’t realize is that the woman is married to a dangerous outlaw named Clinch Leatherwood (Liam Neeson), who rides into town upon hearing of his wife’s infidelity to kill the man that stole his woman.

WHY: There’s a reason why there aren’t many comedy Westerns, and even fewer that are any good, and that’s because the subgenre as a whole is very difficult to pull off. So you have to credit Seth MacFarlane for not only having the cojones to follow up “Ted” with such an offbeat film, but actually succeeding where so many others have failed. “A Million Ways to Die in the West” is probably his most ambitious project to date, and although that may sound strange for a man who made a movie about a talking teddy bear, it’s nice to see a filmmaker with that kind of confidence. By setting the film in the 1800s, MacFarlane has effectively forced himself to eschew from his usual pop culture references in favor of more observational humor about the general horribleness and idiosyncrasies of the American frontier. Not every joke works, and the toilet humor is totally unnecessary, but there’s a lot of great material. The movie starts to drag in the latter half as it meanders towards its conclusion (there’s no reason this needed to be almost two hours long), and it would have benefited from some stronger supporting characters, but “A Million Ways to Die in the West” is a really solid comedy with more than enough laughs to offset its minor shortcomings.

EXTRAS: In addition to an audio commentary by director/co-writer/star Seth MacFarlane, co-writers Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild and actress Charlize Theron, there’s a short making-of featurette, an alternate opening and ending, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Obvious Child”

WHAT: After Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) gets dumped and fired in the same day, she has a drunken one-night stand with nice guy Max (Jake Lacy), only to discover several weeks later that she’s pregnant. Forced to confront the realities of adulthood for the first time, Donna prepares herself to have an abortion – on Valentine’s Day, of all days – and finds support in the most unexpected places.

WHY: Gillian Robespierre’s directorial debut was one of the most talked-about movies at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but it’s neither as funny nor as edgy and controversial as it aims to be. Most of the “comedy” in the movie is channeled through Donna’s stand-up material and everyday musings, which are so gratuitously vulgar and childish that it boggles the mind how anyone could be even remotely attracted to her. Don’t get me wrong, Jenny Slate is actually quite attractive, and she’s more talented than Robespierre’s script might suggest, but the filth that comes out of her character’s mouth (mostly bowel related) is a major turn-off. Slate still manages to make Donna somewhat likeable thanks to her charming screen presence, but all that good work is undone with the casting of Jake Lacy, who is so incredibly dull that he might as well have been played by a cardboard box. The movie itself is pretty boring as well, because while “Obvious Child” pretends to be groundbreaking in its candid treatment of abortion, it’s even safer than most of the generic romantic comedies that it mimics.

EXTRAS: There’s an audio commentary by writer/director Gillian Robespierre, co-writer Elisabeth Holm and star Jenny Slate, a making-of featurette, some extended scenes and the original 2009 short film.

WHY: Wondering what “Community” creator Dan Harmon was up to during his exile from the show’s fourth season? He was busy making this weird and irreverent Adult Swim series with “Adventure Time” alum Justin Roiland, and his involvement is evident from the very first episode. Leaning heavily on the same kind of pop culture references that made the early seasons of “Community” so enjoyable, “Rick and Morty” is like a vulgar love letter to science fiction, from its “Doctor Who”-inspired theme song, to its blatant similarities to “Back to the Future.” Rick is basically a twisted version of Doc Brown (though I could do without the constant belching and slobbering), while the naïve Morty is so much like Michael J. Fox’s iconic character that he’s only one letter away from having the same name. Even the storylines are greatly influenced by the genre, including mash-ups of “Inception” and “Nightmare on Elm Street,” as well as “Jurassic Park” and “Innerspace.” The animation is a little crude, but it works well with the tone of the show, and although its characters sometimes get in the way of the humor, this is one of the funnier adult-themed animated series on TV.

EXTRAS: The Blu-ray set includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes and audio commentaries on all 11 episodes with special guests like Matt Groening, Robert Kirkman and Pendleton Ward.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Adventure Time: The Complete Fourth Season”

WHAT: The further exploits of Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada), his best friend Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) and the other residents of the enchanted Land of Ooo.

WHY: The fourth season of Cartoon Network’s hit animated series ended in 2012, and although that may not seem like too long ago, it’s very rare for that much time to pass between a show’s original airing and home video release, especially one as wildly popular as “Adventure Time.” While its key demo continues to be the school-aged kids who tune into Cartoon Network on a daily basis, the series transcends age by appealing to both children and adults with its clever but goofy sense of humor, colorful cast of characters and whimsical songs. Though Season Four isn’t as strong as previous years (it’s the only one not to be nominated for an Emmy), that’s partly because the show underwent a pretty significant evolution, introducing more characters and taking bigger risks with the storytelling, which expanded the show’s mythology in the process. Not every episode is a winner, but there are several standouts, including “In Your Footsteps,” “Card Wars” and the black-and-white “BMO Noire.” And while Finn and Jake are still very much the stars of the series, if the fourth season does anything right, it’s making you miss them just a little less in the episodes where they don’t prominently feature.

EXTRAS: In addition to cast and crew commentaries on all 26 episodes, there’s a featurette on the important role that music plays in the series.

FINAL VERDICT: RENT

]]>http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2014/10/07/blu-tuesday-edge-of-tomorrow-a-million-ways-to-die-in-the-west-and-more/feed/02013 Holiday Gift Guide: Televisionhttp://blog.bullz-eye.com/2013/11/26/2013-holiday-gift-guide-television/
http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2013/11/26/2013-holiday-gift-guide-television/#commentsWed, 27 Nov 2013 02:26:03 +0000http://blog.bullz-eye.com/?p=32514Television fans must love the holidays, because it’s the one time of year when studios unleash a host of massive box sets collecting their favorite dramas and comedies. This year is no different, with several critically acclaimed shows getting the complete series treatment. But while we like to devour an entire TV show just as quickly as the next person, sometimes a little self-discipline is required, which is why we’ve also included some less time-consuming (and more affordable) suggestions as well.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Breaking Bad: The Complete Series

Is there anything more to be said about the late, great “Breaking Bad” at this point, other than the fact that it was one of the greatest TV series of all time and that, although it went out in a blaze of glory, it’s left a vacuum that’ll be damned hard to fill? Nah, that about sums it up. But if you’re a fan and you’re continuing to mourn, then Sony has put together a set that’s so awesome that it’s almost too much to handle… but not quite. The 16-disc set includes all 62 episodes and more than 55 hours of special features, including an all-new documentary which chronicles the making of the final season, and, of course, all of the bonus material from the previous season sets remains intact too. The whole thing comes packaged in a barrel, as well a series about a meth manufacturer should, along with a Los Pollos Hermanos apron, a collectible booklet featuring a letter from Vince Gilligan and a commemorative Breaking Bad challenge coin. We don’t actually know what a challenge coin is, but we do know that it was designed and created by Gilligan himself, and dammit, that’s good enough for us.

Dexter: The Complete Series

Loosely based on Jeff Linsday’s popular series of crime novels, “Dexter” is probably the biggest hit in Showtime’s history, which only makes its steady decline over the years that much more maddening. Though the last four seasons were incredibly uneven compared to the show’s first four years, “Dexter” continued to be appointment television every week thanks to Michael C. Hall’s brilliant, Golden Globe-winning performance as the titular antihero. It also featured an excellent rotating cast of guest stars that included John Lithgow, Keith Carradine, Jimmy Smits, Julia Stiles and Jonny Lee Miller, and at times, some of the best writing on TV. It’s actually quite amazing that a show with a serial killer as its protagonist was able to last as long as it did, and though it faltered a bit in the end, there are plenty of diehard “Dexter” fans that would kill to own this complete series set. Designed to look like the character’s iconic blood slide box (with every Blu-ray case featuring a blood drop on the bottom), the 25-disc set – which features all eight seasons and a bonus disc filled with over five hours of never-before-seen extras – is definitely one of the cooler collector’s items on the market.

Weeds: The Complete Collection

HBO has long been considered the undisputed leader of premium cable, but without shows like “Weeds” and “Dexter,” Showtime never would have become the worthy competitor that it is today. Though Jenji Kohan’s dark comedy series suffered a drop in quality during its later seasons, it delivered more than its share of subversively funny moments (as well as those of the WTF variety) over the course of its eight-year run. Constantly reinventing itself after Season Three’s game-changing finale, “Weeds” may not have always succeeded in the risks that it took with the storytelling, but it’s one of the few shows with the kind of punk-rock attitude to even consider taking such risks. And throughout its numerous highs and lows, the core cast never faltered, especially star Mary-Louise Parker, who made “Weeds” must-see TV for her crazy/sexy performance alone. For those that haven’t yet seen the series, or just never got around to picking up each season individually, now is the perfect time with this complete series set, which comes packaged in a nifty, translucent green box and features new bonus material like a cast roundtable, interviews with fan-favorite recurring characters and more.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Seasons 1-5

As part of Disney’s recent acquisition of Lucasfilm – headlined by the new trilogy of movies currently in production – the company is also launching a new animated series under their banner titled “Star Wars: Rebels,” which unfortunately spelled the end for “The Clone Wars.” Though it never really got the credit that it deserved while it was on the air, this series spanning the years between “Episode II” and “Episode III” is not only a great introduction to the “Star Wars” universe for youngsters, but quality supplemental viewing for adult fans as well. The art style is incredibly cool (cartoonish without going too far over the top), and the blend of new and familiar characters smartly expands the “Star Wars” canon without stepping on too many toes. While the fate of the show’s unfinished sixth season is still undecided, the first five seasons are now available to own in a collector’s edition Blu-ray set that includes all 108 episodes and a book filled with concept art from the series – the perfect gift for any “Star Wars” addict.

House of Cards: The Complete First Season

Based on the 1990 BBC miniseries of the same name, “House of Cards” is an enthralling and immensely addicting drama that boasts the kind of top-shelf quality we’ve come to expect from networks like HBO and AMC. In addition to being produced by David Fincher (who also directed the first two episodes), there’s not a single weak link in the cast. Kevin Spacey delivers his finest performance since “American Beauty” as the calculating politician, while Robin Wright is the perfect complement as his stone-cold marriage partner in crime. Corey Stoll also delivers some fine work as the congressman who gets ensnared in Underwood’s puppet strings. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the series is partly based on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and “Richard III,” because there are so many political power plays in each episode that it has the Bard’s fingerprints all over it.

Under the Dome

Curiously, the home video versions of CBS’s summer mega-hit are not labeled Season One, which gives potential buyers the impression that it’s a self-contained story. Yet anyone who tuned in this year (and judging by the ratings, that was quite a few of you) knows the first season of “Under the Dome” ended on a pretty massive cliffhanger, but not before delivering 13 hours maddeningly frustrating television about a small town trapped inside a mysterious invisible dome. Stephen King is no stranger to casting a spell on TV viewers, and with “Under the Dome” he appears to once again have a massive hit on his hands. The quality of this sociological experiment as a sci-fi series is up for debate, but America’s fascination with it isn’t. In many ways, “Under the Dome” is like a car wreck that you just have to keep looking at, if only to see who might stumble from the wreckage and be the last person standing.

Hannibal: Season One

When it was announced that NBC and Bryan Fuller were preparing a prequel TV series to the Hannibal Lecter saga, it was very easy to roll eyes and dismiss sight unseen. It had already been done once theatrically (2007’s all but forgotten “Hannibal Rising”), so why do it again? Because Fuller (“Pushing Daisies,” “Dead Like Me”) had a vision. Actually, he must have had dozens of them, because “Hannibal” feels like some sort of fevered nightmare come to life, and it was easily some of the most audacious TV of the year. Set in a pre-“Red Dragon” world, the series follows the blossoming friendship of troubled FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and his psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen). Both actors deliver stunningly complex portrayals, and Mikkelsen is so darkly alluring that by the third episode you’ll be asking Anthony who? Be warned: just because “Hannibal” is on NBC doesn’t mean it’s tame. Indeed, it’s anything but, and the series offers up some of the goriest, most disturbing imagery shown on American network TV ever. You were warned. Season Two will air in 2014.

Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season / Mad Men: Season Six

Just because a show is critically acclaimed doesn’t mean that it can’t have a duff season once in a while, but when it comes to HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” and AMC’s “Mad Men,” they’ve both got pretty good track records. As “Mad Men” begins to wind down toward its conclusion, the goings-on in the show move through the ‘60s at a relatively rapid clip, with social change being seen in the workplace even as Don Draper seems trapped forever as a guy who can’t be happy at home, no matter how hard he tries. The bonus material on the Season Six set includes an interactive gallery, a look into the drug culture of the ‘60s and the show’s production design. As for “Boardwalk Empire,” with all due respect to Michael Pitt, it seems far from coincidental that the demise of Jimmy Darmody proved to be a creative boon for the series, resulting in arguably the strongest season up to that point. The bonus material blows that of “Mad Men” away, offering six audio commentaries, a look at several episodes from the directors’ point of view, a variety of “newsreels” which provide historical context to the season’s events and much more.

Adventure Time: The Complete First and Second Seasons

Trying to explain “Adventure Time” to someone who’s never seen it is a fool’s errand, but Tom Kenny – who voices the Ice King on the series – has called it “this generation’s ‘Yellow Submarine,’” and that’s about as good as any description as we’ve heard, so…yeah, let’s go with that. Kenny’s right, though: it’s downright psychedelic, baby, full of surreal adventures, bizarre humor and visuals that’ll blow your mind…particularly if you buy the first two seasons on Blu-ray, because it looks absolutely gorgeous. As with all the best cult TV series, the “Adventure Time” home video releases are chock full of bonus material, with the Season One set featuring four audio commentaries, three featurettes, 49 minutes worth of animatics and a few more fun bits here and there. The bonus material is a little more unique – what else would you expect from this series? – but you have to respect creator Pendleton Ward for coming up with the idea of doing a running commentary for all 26 episodes of the second season and making good on it. If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love it.

Orphan Black: Season One

The year’s hottest new sci-fi series wasn’t on Syfy, but, perhaps unsurprisingly, on BBC America, the home of “Doctor Who.” Yet “Orphan Black” has little in common with the infamous Time Lord, and it can hardly be called family viewing. Tatiana Maslany stars as Sarah Manning, a con-woman who one night sees her doppelganger commit suicide by jumping into the path of an oncoming train. Sarah assumes the dead woman’s identity, and that’s when other clones start coming out of the woodwork, each with their own distinct lives and personalities. What’s going on, and why there are so many versions of the same woman, is at the core of the show’s ongoing mysteries, which admittedly are never quite as interesting as the many faces of Maslany, who mesmerizes, never once misses a beat, and practically steals the show from itself. Few series are built entirely around a single actor’s numerous talents, but Maslany has a gift, and it’s difficult to even imagine “Orphan Black” existing without her. “Black” will be back for a second round in the spring, so now is the time to catch up on the first season of 10 episodes.

Doctor Who: The Complete Series 1-7 Limited Edition Blu-ray Giftset

Another year, another boffo collection of all things “Who.” This set, however, offers plenty that’s new, including Seasons One through Four in 1080p for the first time (likewise, all the previous high-def material has been upgraded from 1080i to 1080p). Quite the epic box set this is, and just in time to celebrate 50 years of the Doctor. Collecting together all of the episodes that have been produced since 2005 (minus the anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor,” of course), this 29-disc Blu-ray collection is sure to please. With its remastered picture and sound, new “Who” has never looked and sounded this tight. Including tons of extras, with several exclusive to this collection (for instance, a complete 90-minute Proms concert in 5.1) and a sonic screwdriver remote control (which retails for $100), the collection aims to give collectors ample bang for their buck. Many will double dip, and first time buyers will be investing in what’s clearly the Cadillac of “Doctor Who” on home video.

The Office: Season Nine

This set, appropriately subtitled “the farewell season,” collects together the final batch of 23 episodes from some of our closest TV friends, the employees of Dunder Mifflin. While Season Eight – the first after Steve Carell’s departure – was a mixed bag, the show returned to form for the ninth season, and proved that there was enough life left in the concept to give all the other characters we grew to love exits as appropriately fitting as the one Michael Scott got back at the end of Season Seven. Much of Season Nine centers on Pam and Jim, and the difficulties of trying to keep their marriage together when Jim attempts to jumpstart a new career outside of Scranton. Dwight is in for some serious life changes as well, while Andy might just find peace and happiness in the most unexpected of places. Much happens over the course of this extended farewell season, and much of it is as heartrending as it is funny. The Blu-ray is loaded with bonus features, including two hours of deleted scenes, audition tapes, a table read of the finale and a behind-the-scenes panel discussion. No self-respecting “Office” fan should be without it.

Enlightened: The Complete Second Season / Magic City: The Complete Second Season

You can’t sell mainstream audiences on some shows no matter how much critical acclaim they get. If you want proof, look no farther than HBO’s “Enlightened,” which over the course of two seasons turned from an odd little series into an absolute must-watch program, thanks in no small part to a tour-de-force performance from star Laura Dern as Amy Jellicoe, an executive at Abaddonn Industries who has a bit of a mental breakdown but, upon her recovery, is a changed woman with a whole new spiritual philosophy. You may not be sure about the show after watching Season One, but if you continue into the second season, you’ll soon be as angry as everyone else about its cancellation. The same may or may not go for “Magic City,” the Starz series about a hotel owner in 1960s Miami and his interactions with some unsavory types. It’s one of the most beautiful series to hit TV screens in ages, but it’s a bit of a grower, taking some time to build before it really takes off. The series set up lots of storylines for a third season that’ll never come, but it’s still worth taking a look, because it looks fantastic.

Banshee: The Complete First Season / Hunted: The Complete First Season

Cinemax may forever be stuck being perceived as HBO’s slightly lecherous little brother – sorry, but that’s what happens when a generation gleefully calls you “Skinemax” – but in recent years, they’ve at least been trying to climb out of the depths and build their own reputation for quality original programming. Alas, “Hunted,” created and written by Frank Spotnitz (“The X-Files”), may have been a little too smart for the room. Despite lots of action and a strong leading lady in Melissa George, the espionage-themed series proved to be a bust in the ratings, resulting in cancellation after just the one season. Still, it’s worth checking out. “Banshee,” however, is coming back for a second season, which is fantastic news for those who tuned in to watch the smoldering chemistry between stars Antony Starr and Ivana Milicevic. The DVD release of the show’s first season features four featurettes, a closer look into two episodes, six audio commentaries, a few deleted scenes and even a prequel comic book. Oh, were you wondering about the bonus material for “Hunted”? There’s precisely none: it’s available as an on-demand DVD, so it’s completely devoid of any special features. Ouch, that hurts.

Boy Meets World: The Complete Collection

Most people would probably be surprised to hear that “Boy Meets World” ran for seven seasons, but as one of the cornerstones in ABC’s TGIF lineup, it was one of the more successful sitcoms of the mid to late 90s. The show was recently made available on DVD in individual season sets, so it’s hard to imagine any reason why Lionsgate would release this Complete Collection so soon after other than to cash in on the news of the upcoming ABC Family spinoff “Girl Meets World.” It definitely makes sense, because this 22-disc set is the perfect refresher course for those who want to watch Cory Matthews grow up all over again, from getting into trouble with best friend Shawn, to receiving life lessons from teacher Mr. Feeney, to falling in love with school crush Topanga. Anyone who grew up in the 90s remembers “Boy Meets World” more than they care to admit, and with two new retrospectives featuring the original cast, it’s nostalgia in a box.

China Beach: The Complete Series

This ambitious Emmy-winning drama, set in an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War, ran on ABC for four seasons from 1988-91. Due to costly music rights, it’s been unavailable on home video until earlier this year. Starring Dana Delaney in the breakout role of her career, “China Beach” also features early work from Robert Picardo, Marg Helgenberger, Chloe Webb and a very young Ricki Lake. This heavy box set, which includes 21 DVDs with 62 episodes, two “China Beach” dog tags and 10 hours of bonus material, boasts that it features “over 300 classic hit songs…from Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and many more.” More would certainly include The Supremes, whose “Reflections” is used as the “China Beach” theme song. For those who can’t get enough of a certain time and place in history, think of this as “M*A*S*H” without the laughs. The complete series set is available exclusively from TimeLife.com, while the budget conscious may want to consider gifting the first season, which is available from Amazon.

Mama’s Family: The Complete Collection

Last year, we recommended “The Best of The Carol Burnett Show,” and this year, we’re recommending its spin-off sitcom “Mama’s Family,” starring Vicki Lawrence as the cranky but lovable matriarch of an expansive Midwestern family. One of the most underrated sitcoms of the 80s, “Mama’s Family” shines, due mostly to Lawrence’s completely original performance of a character that’s instantly recognizable. Simply put, everyone’s had an aunt or grandmother reminiscent of Thelma “Mama” Harper. Due to years of playing the role on Burnett’s variety show, Lawrence wastes no time trying to find Mama, and the show knows exactly what it wants to be coming out of the gate. Burnett guest stars as the iconic Eunice on several of the early episodes, as do Harvey Korman and Betty White. The box set itself is a sturdy cardboard beast, housing 130 episodes spread across six seasons, with over 12 hours of extras and the rarely seen 1982 TV movie “Eunice.” As with the Burnett box, this set is currently available only from TimeLife.com. For the more budget conscious shopper, the first couple seasons are available individually from Amazon.

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids: The Complete Series

“Hey, hey, hey!” A child of the 70s reads that and is able to hear it only one way: through the vocal talents of Bill Cosby, doing the voice of the one, the only, Fat Albert. For the first time ever, this 15-DVD set collects together all the various series of “Fat Albert” – from the concept’s more humble beginnings back in ’72, all the way up to the somewhat flashier versions that were made in the early to mid-80s. Cosby had a vision – to reach out to inner-city urban youth and entertain, inform and teach them lessons that couldn’t be found in all the white man programming that dominated the landscape. But the escapades of Fat Albert, Rudy, Mushmouth, Bill, Dumb Donald, Russell and Weird Harold proved to be so genuine and truthful that the show crossed all racial barriers, making an ever-lasting impression on a generation of kids who can now share these tales with their own children. There are 110 episodes in all (missing, unfortunately, are a few holiday specials), the quality is very nice given the age of the material, and there’s an hour-long documentary on the final disc entitled (what else?) “Hey, Hey, Hey…It’s the Story of Fat Albert.”

Star Trek: Enterprise – The Complete First and Second Seasons

It’s both surprising and depressing to realize that this, the most recent of the “Star Trek” TV series, seems to be the only one of the small screen brethren to escape J.J. Abrams’ rewriting of “Trek” history with his big screen adventures of Kirk, Spock and company. Think about the timing, though, and you’ll realize that Nero’s trip back through time took place after Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) took command of the first starship Enterprise. Why, there’s even a reference to Scotty having tested a transporter on Admiral Archer’s beagle! Looking back, “Star Trek: Enterprise” was already rewriting history well before Abrams took over the franchise, so we really should’ve seen it coming. If you enjoyed the series, though, you’ll be enthralled by the loving treatment Paramount has given “Enterprise” for its Blu-ray release, its sparkling picture and pristine sound accompanied by the usual plethora of bonus material that all of these “Star Trek” series invariably receive. Our only question: why couldn’t they have just stuck with chronological order with their Blu-ray rollout? (So sue us: we’re big “Deep Space Nine” fans here at Bullz-Eye.)

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts Complete DVD Collection

Frank Sinatra might’ve been the so-called Chairman of the Board, but it’s become increasingly clear that the coolest member of the Rat Pack was really Dean Martin. No, he might not have had the pipes that Frank had, but Dino was cool, calm, and collected…or possibly just drunk. Either way, he had a way with a one-liner and a gift for hosting celebrity roasts. Comedy Central has tried to pick up the tradition of slinging zingers at celebrities, but they’re often rude, crude and socially unacceptable. The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts featured some of the biggest names in Hollywood, sports, politics or elsewhere stepping up to the podium and hurling jokes that were rarely harsh enough to offend but were consistently worthy laughs, from a chuckle to a full-fledged guffaw. StarVista Entertainment and Time-Life has compiled a 25-disc set that features hours and hours of these roasts, with a list of roasters and roastees that’ll blow your mind, including Bob Hope, Jack Benny, George Burns, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason and many, many more. There are even bonus discs including tons of interviews as well as seven episodes of “The Dean Martin Variety Show.”

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: The Complete Series

With 38 discs and 325 episodes, this box set is a beast, and one of the strangest on the market this year. “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” ran for only about a year and a half back in 1976 and ’77, but it was produced on a soap opera schedule, and hence was on every weekday. Developed by Norman Lear (“All in the Family,” “Maude”), who still regards it as one of his finest works, the show deftly satirizes a suburban world that finds itself inundated by media and consumer culture. The series begins with the title character, played superbly by Louise Lasser, worried about the waxy yellow buildup on her floors, while the news on the radio reports that just streets away, an entire family (as well as their dogs and chickens) have been brutally murdered. Police sirens blast in the background, but it’s that waxy yellow buildup that most concerns the housewife. That sort of dark humor pervades the entire show, and the conspicuous lack of a laugh track only adds to the ongoing current of weird. Unavailable since it was first aired, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” is for the TV addict who has everything but is looking for more. This should tide them over for several months. It also includes an extra 10 episodes of the Martin Mull-starring talk show spin-off, “Fernwood 2 Night.”

Kindred: The Embraced – The Complete Series

Hey, you know how all the kids love vampires? Sure you do. How can you not, what with “The Vampire Diaries,” “True Blood” and even “Dracula” all currently taking up real estate on various networks’ schedules? Unfortunately, some series tried to sway audiences over to the “vampires are cool” camp a little before the masses were ready to sign on to the trend, leaving them short-lived and quickly forgotten. As such, the words “Kindred: The Embraced” may mean nothing to you, but for a brief window in 1996 – we’re talking from April 2 to May 9 – Spelling Productions brought FOX viewers the story of San Francisco Police Detective Frank Kohanek (C. Thomas Howell) and his exploration of the five groups of vampires – known collectively as The Kindred – who are living and feeding in the city. There were only eight episodes, but that hasn’t stopped the studio from going all out with the presentation of the series, offering an extended version of the pilot, audio commentaries, deleted scenes and featurettes, while the set itself features bookcase packaging, a letter from the series creator and a replica of The Book of Nod. (Trust us: if you’re a fan, it’s pretty freaking awesome.)

Looking for more TV content? Check out the latest edition of our TV Power Rankings for a rundown of the best shows currently on the air.

]]>http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2013/11/26/2013-holiday-gift-guide-television/feed/0The Light from the TV Shows: A Chat with Michael Dorn (‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’)http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2013/07/29/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-a-chat-with-michael-dorn-star-trek-the-next-generation/
http://blog.bullz-eye.com/2013/07/29/the-light-from-the-tv-shows-a-chat-with-michael-dorn-star-trek-the-next-generation/#commentsMon, 29 Jul 2013 21:30:23 +0000http://blog.bullz-eye.com/?p=29340Michael Dorn may have come to be known best for his work as Worf, the most famous Klingon in the ‘Star Trek’ universe, but his acting career was already off and running well before he found his way onto the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Bullz-Eye had a chance to chat with Dorn in connection with the Blu-ray release of ‘Star trek: The Next Generation – The Complete Fourth Season,’ and he discussed some of his pre-‘Trek’ roles, including working with Bruce Jenner and Sylvester Stallone, in addition to revisiting his work as Worf and commenting on how things are going with the ‘Captain Worf’ series he’s been hoping to make

Bullz-Eye: So how have you been enjoying seeing the ‘Next Generation’ episodes on Blu-ray?

Michael Dorn: Well, I haven’t seen this season’s yet, but the other ones have looked great. Just beautiful.

BE: When they first started rolling them out, I was really rather startled by the difference. I knew it’d look better, but it never occurred to me that it’d be quite that substantial.

MD: Yeah, exactly. I mean, it’s one of those things that makes you realize just how much technology and other things have changed. When we were doing our show in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, we looked at the original series and we were, like, “Ah, we’re so far ahead of that!” And now we look at our show side by side, and it’s, like, “Oh, my God…” [Laughs.] Technology has just grown by leaps and bounds. But it looks spectacular.

BE: As far as getting the part of Worf, I’ve read that you feel like you got it because you walked into the audition with kind of a Klingon mindset.

MD: Yeah, I think that…well, y’know, from what the producers say, there were two of us that were really kind of vying for the part – the other was James Avery, who’s a fabulous actor – and the producers said, “Well, we had to go with a young one, so we went with you.” [Laughs.] It had nothing to do with the performance. They said, “Yeah, the readings were great, but James’s reading was better than yours. But you were younger.” Which is horrible to say to an actor, but… I like to think that I came in and I was Worf, basically. Because I knew that Klingons are very no-nonsense and get-to-the-point. They say what they’re going to say and they leave, yknow? So that’s what I took into the audition.

BE: When you approached the idea of doing ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation,’ were you considering that, although it was clearly a possibility of a long-term gig, it also had the potential for a long time in makeup?

MD: Not at all. None of that came into it. Interestingly enough, at that point in my career I was doing a lot of difference stuff. I mean, I was really happy because I was doing drama, I was doing comedy…I was working like crazy, which was great. And this was just another audition, although when I heard that they were doing one, I called my agents and managers immediately and said, “Oh, you’ve gotta get me in! I want to do this!” But they called and they said, “Okay, we’re sorry, but it’s already been cast. It’s done.” And I kind of went on with the rest of my life. I went, “Okay, well, that’s life,” and I kind of went back to what I was doing. But then I got a call two weeks later saying that they’d come up with this part and they wanted to see me for it. But you don’t know what’s going to happen with these things. Even at that point, I’d been in the business long enough to know that you just never know. It’s better not to think about those things, because most of the time it doesn’t work out like you think it’s going to work out.

BE: How did you feel about the evolution of Worf as a character over the course of the run of the series? Were there any missteps from your perspective, or did you think things went pretty swimmingly?

MD: I think it went really well. Exceptionally well. I never had to storm up to the office and yell at them about where my character should be. I was always excited about getting a script and going, “Oh, my God!” And that was for a couple of reasons. There were other characters, you could only write so many episodes about each character, but they put a lot of effort into that, because when you’re talking about Klingons…I mean, you’re not generally talking about Starfleet, you’re not talking about a love story, or any of the regular things. They had to come up with really interesting and different ideas for the Klingons, So whenever they came up with something, it was very special, and I was always blown away and really happy about what they wrote. There was one episode where a Romulan needed my blood, and I didn’t give it to him, and he died. And I was concerned about that. That was one of the few times, maybe the only time, that I went to Rick Berman’s office and said, “What do you think? Do you really want to do this?” And he said, “Absolutely!” And I think it turned out really well.

BE: What were your thoughts on the whole Worf/Troi storyline?

MD: I liked it! I thought it was Beauty and the Beast all over again. I mean, she’s this copacetic, sweet, smart, understanding, kind, warmhearted person…and Worf is not. [Laughs.] I thought it was good, because he really is just a big, dumb, stupid kid. He was, like, “Well, what do I do now?” But I do think they wimped out on one thing, which was the Klingon courtship…or, y’know, the Klingon foreplay. Which is very violent. They kind of softened him up for that, which I think was a mistake. But I actually liked it as a whole, and I think that, had they given it more time, it certainly would have developed into something spectacular. But that’s the way it goes. But to their credit, I was extremely happy when Terry Farrell and I got together on ‘Deep Space (Nine).’ They really dealt with their relationship in a Klingon way, the way it should be.

BE: Which provides a perfect opportunity to ask you about Worf’s transition onto that series. Were you always intended to be a regular, or was it a case where a guest spot ended up being expanded into more?

MD: No, no, I got a call out of the blue…and I mean seriously out of the blue. I think I was in Baltimore doing a video game, actually! But I got a call from the producers saying, “Hey, Michael, what would you think about coming back (as Worf) on ‘Deep Space’?” And to my shock, I was, like, “Sounds like fun!” And I knew at that point that they wanted to boost the ratings, so the character was not going to be, y’know, just a guy who’s kind of in there and standing around. And I didn’t want it to be that way. I said, “If that’s what you want, then I’m not interested, so please don’t do that. I love the character, I love you guys, and I love the show, but I just don’t want to do that.”

And they said, “No, no, no,” and they named a bunch of episodes I was going to have and said, “It’s going to be this and this. It’s not going to be ‘The Worf Show,’ but you’re definitely going to be prominent.” So I said, “Okay.” There were two things about it for me. I just felt it was a great challenge, because you’re coming on a new show where you’re around new characters and new people – although I’d met them before – and you’re also starting in the middle rather than at the beginning, which is never easy. But I took it as a challenge, and I loved it. The people were great, and they’re still great friends of mine now, so it worked out really well.

BE: Speaking of ‘The Worf Show,’ you’ve mentioned it before and expressed considerable interest in it, but where do things stand with the prospect of a ‘Captain Worf’ series? Has there been any headway made with it?

MD: Well, no. Not in the business world, anyway. But in my world, yes. [Laughs.] I’ve finished the script, and I’m just in the process of kind of finalizing the look of it, in terms of how I’m going to send it out. I’m just thinking about inundating people in the business with the script and seeing if they like it, maybe generating some more interest in the process.

BE: I wanted to ask you about a few other things from your back catalog. First of all, I’ve read how, before you began pursuing acting full-time, you’d actually been working in music. What was your career highlight as a musician?

MD: Oh, boy. I think I was when I’d just started doing session work, probably somewhere around when I’d just finished my second or third session, which was great. Doing session work was a highlight. But the music business was rough, and there was a point where I… I didn’t flip a coin, but I really had to decide to pursue one or the other, because they were both going in the same direction. With both of them, you could see, “Well, this is going to be great,” and I loved acting and music, but I had to make a decision. And then I had a bad experience right around that time with music… [Starts to laugh.] Anyway, that kind of really showed me that acting was the way to go.

I remember it so clearly. It happened when we went down to San Diego. We all drove down there, and it was this big band, something like 10 pieces, kind of like a Earth Wind & Fire thing, and we were backing up this other group. At the end of it… We’d done four or five sets, and at the end of it, they said, “We want one more set!” We said, “Okay, great, but we’re only contracted for five, so you’ve got to pay us for six.” And they said, “No! We’re not going to pay you, and if you don’t play six sets, you’re not even going to get what we owe you!” And I went, “Okay, that’s enough.” [Laughs.] “I think I’m gonna try acting.” That was the impetus, because that happens in music a lot, but it doesn’t happen in acting. Especially not in those days. Also, I’d been in three or four bands, and, y’know, one band member would decide to leave, or one guy couldn’t find his drums, or something, and it would always set you back three or four steps. So you were depending on four or five or ten other people to have the mindset as you do, and that didn’t sit well with me.

BE: You mentioned that you were doing session work. Who were you working with?

MD: Oh, it was this lady that was a big singer in London…but I’ve totally forgotten her name now! [Laughs.] It wasn’t like it was anyone that you’d really know, or that even I knew. It was just a case where, like, a guy would call and say, “Michael, we need a bass player for this session. Can you come in?” And I’d say, “Great!” But that was a big deal, just to get those calls. You could see that it could’ve been the start of something.

BE: Not that it was a big part, but what do you recall about the experience of playing Apollo Creed’s bodyguard in ‘Rocky’?

MD: It was really, really, really interesting. [Laughs.] Just because it was my first gig. It was only supposed to be a day, and it turned into two weeks. I remember that Sylvester Stallone, between the fight scenes, during the set-ups, he’d be laying on a massage table, writing the next scene. I mean, writing writing writing writing. I was just, like, blown away by that. Actually, I worked with him on a movie called ‘Shade.’ He’s a very nice guy. I was sitting next to him, and I said, “Hi, Mr. Stallone, I’m Michael Dorn, and you and I have a history.” He said, “Really?” And I told him about it.

I also told him about how I was hearing at the time that nobody wanted the movie. I was, like, “They didn’t like you, they didn’t like the movie…they just didn’t want to do it!” And he said, “Lemme tell ya a funny story: they actually literally were gonna pull the plug on the movie.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said that he wanted to do a scene where he was drunk, and they kept saying, “No, no, no.” And he said, “I’ve got to do this scene! The movie doesn’t make any sense without it!” And they said, “No, no, no.” He said, “Give me one take!” They said, “Okay, you’ve got one take.” And they had a guy out at the generator, ready to pull the plug out of the generator if he tried to do two takes. [Laughs.] And then he goes on to make billions of dollars for these people!

BE: Have you got any recollections about working with Bruce Jenner on ‘CHiPs’?

MD: Oh, yeah. You know, that was just an odd time. I really saw the business from a different angle after that. Bruce comes in, and Bruce is a great guy. I mean, he got in there, he played the part, and people liked him…and then when Erik (Estrada) came back, he left. And that was kind of it. But I saw the business side of the business during that. It can get a little, uh, interesting at times. But Bruce was great.

BE: Do you have a favorite bit of voice acting that you’ve done over the years? You’ve certainly worked on enough animated series.

MD: You know, I like ‘I.M. Weasel.’ I really liked it. It was an odd, edgy cartoon, and I liked that. I’m a big ‘South Park’ fan, so I liked edginess. I like it when they kind of push the envelope…and they would push the envelope on that show. [Laughs.] I’d be reading the script, and I’d say, “Are you guys sure we can say this on a cartoon?” They’d say, “Yeah, we ran it by Standards & Practices, and they said, ‘No problem.’” So I said, “Ooooooookay…”

There was one episode where they were talking about a Tesla coil, and, y’know, Baboon would always mangle words, so he came up with, “Oh, Weasel, you’re messing up my Testicle!” And they let it go by! Even then, I was, like, “Are you sure? Because…” “Yes! Just don’t say anything!” [Laughs.] But it was fun. The group was great, and I still see some of them when I do other stuff. But, anyway, that was my favorite.

BE: You turned up on ‘Adventure Time’ not too long ago.

MD: Yeah! And I did another one last week.

BE: I just talked to Jonathan Frakes the other day about him having done the show as well.

MD: Yeah, several of us have done it now, I think.

BE: Just in closing, in a weird bit of coincidence, you’re actually the second cast member from ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country’ that I’ve talked to today: I interviewed Christopher Plummer a few hours ago.

MD: Oh, wow! Man, that was exceptional. You know, you work with these people that you’ve seen all your life, and it was just…I mean, it was one of those moments that you just cherish. Another case of that was when I worked with John Colicos, who played Kor. I had two episodes with him on ‘Deep Space,’ and he was just a brilliant, brilliant actor. He’s gone now – that was the last work that he did before he did – but, man, he was just outstanding. Just exceptional. You look at guys like that, and you see why they keep working. It’s truly inspiring.